Kichard lamb



Apr. 17, 1923. r 1,452,331)

I R. LAMB COMPENSATING FILLER FOR BLOCK PAVING Filed March 11, 1920Patented Apr. 1?, i923.

HASZJZQ) rant FFHGE.

RICHARD LB, NEW YORK, N. Y.; SARAH E. LAMB, EXECUTRIX 01 SAID RICHARDLAMB, DECEASED, ASSIGNOR TO S E. LAMB.

COIQIPENSATING FILLER FOR BLOCK PAVING.

Application filed March 11, 1920. Serial No. 365,091.

55 and State of New York, .have invented an Improvement in CompensatingFillers for Block Paving, of which 'the following description is aspecification.

his invention relates to a novel composition of matter and process formaking it and its combination with wood "blocks forming a floor orpaving for road beds having novel structural and functionalcharacteristics. The novel combination of the constituent elements ofthe composition hereinafter referred to ive to it characteristics whichespecially a apt it for use as a filling material between adjacent woodblocks of a floor or pavement. It may be easily applied in plastic orfluid condition but when dry becomes hard and adheres to the'blocksandholds them in -proper position but in case water comes in contact withthe floor or pavement and the blocks become wet and expand, thecomposition filler also absorbs the water and thereby becomes soft andyielding and the expansion of the blocks is thus permitted withoutbuckling of the floor or pavement, as would otherwise occur. When theblocks gradually dry the filler does also and becomes hard again. It,therefore, constitutes what may be called a compensating filler orcompound. In applying the liner, any surplus on the face of the blocksmay be easily and completely removed. The composition has the advantageover the use of sand as a filler in that the sand is not adherent andworks its way down under the blocks, not only making the surface unevenbut ceasing to serve properly as a filler, whereas the presentcomposition is adherant and is always in place and yields when requiredunder the expansion due to moisture. It has the advantage over the useoi pitch or asphalt as a filler in that they get soft in hot weather andare pressed out on the upper surface of the blocks and because of theirsticky nature that is very objectionable, aside from the fact that thefiller does not remain in proper position to act as a filler. Thepresent composition does not soften by hot weather and even if some ofit by chance gets on the surface of the floor or pavement, it is notobjectionable and may be removed easily or will wear ofi naturally,since it will not stick 'to things coming in contact with it. Pitch andasphalt do not soften, when wet, to permit expansion of the blocks andit is impossible to thoroughl remove any which works out on to the surace. The present composition has the advantage over the use of sand andcement grout, not only because that requires several days delay forforming before using,

while the present composition dries in about twenty-four hours butbecause the sand and cement grout do not become soft, when wet, and thuseither do not yield to permit expansion or are disintegrated. If theblocks shrink after the grout is set and hardens, it never becomes softso as to settle ,or flow outwardly filling the space between blocks, asdoes the present composition but there is a looseness between blocks.The novel features of the invention will be more fully understood from.the following description and claims taken with-the drawings.

In the drawings-$- Figure 1 is a perspective view partly broken away ofa floor construction em-v bodying the invention, and

Figure 2 is a similar view showing a modified form of leveling base onwhich the wooden blocks rest.

The composition constituting one of the main features of this inventionembodies argillaceous sand, clay and .a colloidal agent, preferablylignosulfonate.

Lignosulfonate is a lei-product of the sulfite or bisulfate process formaking wood pulp. In digesting the wood about one half of the woodremains in the digestor as cellulose, which is paper pulp. The remainderis a solution known as sulfite or waste liquor, and is calledtechnically lignosulfonate. It is not of bituminous or 'oily nature, andis practically odorless and is clean. t can therefore be used on floorswhere pitch or asphalt would be objectionable. I

It is generally believed by scientific road builders that the wetting ofroad materials form colloids that produce a strong bond. Thelignosulfonate is rich in colloidal extractive matter, and when usedsimply hasaluminum silicate, and the cla v should consition as a filler.

stitute about fifteen per cent by volume of the mixture of sand andclay. Pulverized solid lignosulfonateis intimately and thor oughly mixedwith the mixture of sand and clay in approximateiy the proportion byvolume of one to twenty-five, so thatthe result-ing mixture containsabout four per cent of lignosulfonate. This mixture, when wet, becomes asoft and plastic mass which. after drying, is solid and hard but evenafter drying and hardening it will again absorb water if brought incontact with it and again become soft and lastic. In some localitiesargillaceous san of the proper kind containing the desired proportion orpercentage of clay may be found 'in' nature and it may of course be usedwithout the admixture of additional clay from outside sources. Thecomplete mixture as a drycomposition, including all of the ingredientsabove stated, may be made and sold to those wishing to use it for liningpaving blocks or for analogous purposes. Since, however, siliceous sand,suitable for mixing with the clay and lignosulfonate, may be found inmost localities, it is preferable for some reasons and under someconditions to omit the sand in forming the mixture, using only clay orkaolin and about thirteen and one-half per cent by volume oflignosulfonate, intimately mixed. The purchaser and user of thecomposition may then add the content of sand indicated above andthoroughly mix the material before using.

In practically applying the compositionas a compensating filler for thewood blocks of a pavement in the embodiment shown in Figure 1, aconcrete base 5 is first formed on whichis laid a cushion 2 of drycement'and sand pressed into the form of a layer with a smooth flatupper surface. The cushion is then sprinkled with water and the woodblocks 3 are placed in position on it close together. Since wood blockssuch as shown usually shrink laterally and longitudinally after beingcut to form. according to the moisture in them, they should be permittedto dry and shrink to the desired extent be fore taking the step ofapplying the compo- After the blocks are in proper position andcondition, the mixture above described may be forced into the spacesbetween blocks as a compensating filler in two ways. The dry mixture maybe made to enter and fill the spaces indicated at 1 and water is thenpoured on the filler material between the blocks until it is saturatedwith water and becomes a plastic mass. It is then allowed to standundisturbed and to dry and after drying it is hard and solid andproperly holds the blocks in place. Instead of filling the spacesbetween blocks with dry mixture and later adding water, the mixture maybe first mixed with water until it has a consistency which will permitit to flow readily down between the blocks. filling the spaces underslight squeezing pressure applied to it.

Another method for applying the filler is to form it in situ between thewooden blocks. In this case a mixture of dry sand and clay in properproportions is inserted between the blocks and liquid lignosulfonatewith about one and one half times its volume of water is poured into itbetween the blocks and being very fluid,'it will penetrate all parts ofthe sand and be thoroughly and uniformly distributed throughout thefiller. The filler, when in place, will set and become hard at anytemperature but at a temperature below 60 Fhn, if not again wet will dryand harden in twenty-four hours. After it has become hard, it willremain so unless water is-applied to it but if water is applied, it willagain become plastic. It follows, therefore. that if the blocks shrinkafter it has become hard,

an application of water to it will make it soft so that it will flow andfill the space between blocks. If after hardening the blocks have waterapplied to them and expand, the filler receiving the water becomesplastic and yields. My compensating filler is not affected by machineoils or gasoline which are often found upon streets and factory floorsand, as heretofore stated, contains no oily or sticky material which isobjectionable and cannot be easily removed from the floor gurface whenit happens to be on that surace.

The embodiment or use of the invention disclosed in Figure 2 differsfrom that indicated above only in the composition of the cushion marked4 which takes the place of that marked 2 in Figure 1. The cushion 4 isformed of low melting point pitch pressed into position on the concretebase 5.

This pitch should be preferablyot from 130 to 140 deg. Fhr. and shouldbe allowed to cool before placino the blocks upon same.

The blocks should be laid close together upon the cold pitch which willhold the blocks tightly to the concrete bed. After fifteen per cent ofthe surface non-hygroscopic can be used on the surface to shed thewater.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desiredto secure by patent is:

1. The combination with a support therefor, and a filler betweenadjacent blocks composed of an intimate mixture of colloidal agents,argillaceous sand and clay in such proportions that the filler will besolid and hard when yielding when wet.

2. The combination with a support therefor, and a jacent blocks composedof paving blocks, of

paving blocks, of filler between ad an intimate mixture oflignosulfonate, argillaceous sand and clay in such proportions that thefiller will be solid and hard when dry and soft and yielding when wet.

3. The combination with paving blocks, of a support therefor, and afiller between adjacent blocks composed of an intimate mixture oflignosulfonate, a-rgillaceous sand and clay, the lignosulfonateconstituting approximately four per cent of the mixture by volume.

4. The combination with paving blocks, of a support therefor, and afiller between adjacent blocks composed of an intimate mixture oflignosulfonate, argillaceous sand and clay, the lignosulfonateconstituting approximately four per cent of the mixture by volume, andthe clay constituting approximately the remainder by volume. 5. Acomposition of matter comprising an dry and soft and intimate uniformmixture of fine grained argillaceous sand and approximately fifteen percent by volume of clay and approximately four per cent by volume ofpulverized solid lignosulfonate.

6. A composition of matter adapted for use in forming a filler forpaving blocks comprising an intimate mixture of kaolin clay andapproximately thirteen and one half per cent by volume of pulverizedsolid lignosulfonate.

7. The process of making and applying a filler for paving blocks,comprising thoroughly mixing fine grained argillaceous sand containingclay and lignosulfonate in such proportions that when wet the mixturewill be soft and plastic and when dry hard and solid pouring saidmixture between the blocks to fill the spaces with sufiicient water tomake it plastic and allowing it to dry.

8. The process of making and applying a filler for paving blocks,comprising interposing in the spaces between adjacent blocks acomposition comprising argiIIaceouSsand and approximately fifteen percent by volume of clay and approximately four per cent by volume oflignosulfonate, the said substances being thoroughly anduniformlydistributed throughout the mixture together with sufficient water torender the mixture plastic.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in the presence of a Witness.

vRICHARD LAMB. [1,. s.] Witness:

LAURA E. SMITH.

